Current motor



Jan. 9, 19.23.k

S. W. LINDSEY. RRRRRRRRRRR R. FILED MAY 27. 1920. 3 SSSSSSSSSS ET 2 |Ilm l Il Illl I IIII WITNESSES Ian. 9, 1923. 1,44L361 S. W. LINDSEY. CURRENT MOTOR` F| LED MAY 27, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 l BY ATTORNEY v Patented dan. 9, i923.

narran stares.

iiiiiiiitwf SAMUEL WHlTE LINDSEY, OE' MIDDLEBROOK, ARKANSAS.

CURRENT Moron.

Application inea May a?, ieee. sei-iai no. 354,663. j

ywater wheels lare turned by approximately' an equal current force.

General objects are to provide a current motor which iseiiicient in its operation and easy to handle, and capable of a considerable range of adjustability to meet varied water conditions.

The invent-ion willv be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connectioiiwith the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing in the drawings, but` may be changedand modified so ylong as such changes and modifications marlr no material departure from the salient,A features ofthe invention as expressed in the appended claim. n

- In the drawings f Fig. l is a. top plan View of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the saine.

Fig. 13 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l. n

Figs. 4r, 5 and 6 are detail views o'oiie ot the water wheels, Fig'. a being a plan view, Fig. 5 a. front elevation, and F ig. 6 a rear elevation.

The invention comprises a Hoa-ting struc ture including two parallel substantially rectangular iioats 10 connected by aI deck 11, each having watertight compartments 12 to provide suflicient buoyancy to support the heavy machinery of the apparatus.

A pair `of longitudinally-extending vanes 13 are secured vertically to the under side of each of the floats 10, and bracing elements 14 hold each vane upon the respective Hoat. The two vanes converge toward one end of the structure, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the distance between the venes near the forward end of the loats beingapproximately the width of the structure, while the distance betweenthe varies near the other end of the floats is but slightly greater than the diameter of one of the water wheels.

The deck of the iioating structurey is broken away'or left open, as indicated at 15 in F ig. 1, to provide aL plurality of spaces or wells into or out of which the water wheels and attendant parts'may be moved.

f [fh'e wells 15 are bordered by side rails 16 rising above the deck 11 and by rails 17 at the ends. Beams V18 supported upon the rails 17 rise in converging relation. Between the upper ends of the pairs of beams 18 providedfor each well, a shaft 19 is supported, which shaft carriesseveral` pulleys 2O secured thereto. A frame is slidably mounted in f guides provided on upright beams ,18L intermediate the converging beams V19. These frames each comprise horizontal members 22 joined. at their ends with vertical slidingmembers 23. Near the n upper end of each sliding frameashaft 24 is mounted, which shaft lies below but parallel withv the horizontal member 22. Each shaft2a mounts a sprocket wheel 25. A countershaft 28 is supported in bearings 29 on the deck, and a sprocket wheel 30 secured f to the countershaft. 'Pinions 27 are secured to each end of the countershaft, and sprocket chains 26 meshing -withthe pinions27 i yand with thesproclret wheels k25 on the shaft 24 enable the countershaft to be rotated bv one or more of the shafts 24. y i

Each shaft 24 also carries a. pinion 3l. at

one end', which pinion is driven by anend chain 32 meshing withv the pinion 34 on a lower shaft 35 carried at the lower ends of the slidingI members The shafts 35 also carry a plurality of water wheelsSG. 0bviously, when the water ywheels are turned by the current, the shafts 24 will. be revolved, which will in turn drive'the countershaft 28, lfrom which power may be derived by means of the sprocket'wheel 30.

The drawings in Figs. 1 and 2 show each.

shaft as provided with three water wheels B6. It will be clear, however, that more or less than this number of water wheels may be employed, as desired, depending upon the water flow which is available, the swiftness of current, etc. The construction. of the water wheels is illustrated in some detail in Fi a, 5 and G. Here the wheels are .shown comprising a plurality of blades 37 so shaped as to yield a maximum power output. In Fig. 5, the vanes 37 are shown as having their inner ends bent angularly, as at 39, and

fitted in to the hub 138 oii the wheel. In Fig."

6, the rear of the Wheel is shown Where the inner ends ot the blades a() are iitted into the hub 8S in slots which receive the blades Without bending.y While this is the preferred way of constructing the water Wheels of the present apparatus, the invention is not to be construed as limited to the precise water Wheels described but is to be considered as independent of the employed.

lt is desirable to raise or lower the shafts 35 with their water wheels sothat under diiferent conditions et tlmvage, or when power of the current is not needed, the water wheels c may be raised partly or Wholly out of the Water. In order to permit this, the trames are' connected with cables 21 passing over pulleys 2O and running down to windlasses All (Fig. l). Preferably there will be a pair oi' cables 2l for each :trame and the Windlasses 4l for each set of Water wheels will be connected by' a sha'lt L18. At each end ot the' shaft 43 cranks l2 will be provided.

The structure is designed to be towed to the middleot' a stream orto the swiiitest running portion thereofand there anchored. Because of the lbuoyancy chambers it will float high above the Water-line even though thewater wheels b e raised out of the stream.

The flowing water enters between the wide Water Vwheel setsv may turn just below the particular water wheel surface of the water, while the rear set may turn at a greater depth, with both sets' driving the same shaft. Power t'rom the sprocket wheel 30 may be utilized to drive machinery installed on the floating structure itsel't' or it may be utilized to drive inachinery installed Yon the shore. Obviously', while sprocket wheels and chains have been described as forming a part ot the apparatus, in many cases pulleys and belts, shafts and gearing, or equivalent power translating means may be employed. lWhile vonly two independent sets ot Water wheels have been disclosed,r three or more may be employed, or in small installations but a single set may be used.

l/Vhat is claimed is 1- A current motor comprising ar floating` structure having a well open to the Water, a plurality of trames movable vertically in the well and independently o' each other, a plurality of water wheels mounted on shafts carried by each movable frame, a shaft mounted at the top of each movable frame, gearing between each of said shafts and the shafts carrying the waterivlieels, a countershaft supported on the deck of said structure, a flexible means operatively coniflecting the counter-shaft with each oi.' said shafts mounted on the movable trames, said countershat't i''ormingacommon means for transmitting motionfrom the independently movable shafts, rigid elevated iframes mounted upon said structure and having4 guides for the ymovement of said movable frames, a shai't atthe topi of said rigid iframes, a windlass, and cables mounted `on each windlass and passing over pulleys on the last-mentioned shaft and connected to each sliding trameitor raising and lowering the latter within well defined limits.

ln testimony, that l claim the `iio'regoing as my own, l have hereto aiiixed my signature.

sai/runt WHrrnigiNDsEY. 

